Car-brake



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. J. ZIMMERMAN'N.

OAR BRAKE- No. 367,573. Patented Aug. 2,1887;

IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, PholnLilhogrzpher, Washington, 0. c.

UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

LAW'RENOE J. ZIMMERMANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,573, dated August2, 1887.

Application filed March 22, 1887. Serial No. 231,922. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lllwnnnon J. ZIMMER- MANN, of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedCar-Brake, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-brakes of that classacting directly upon the track, and has for its object to provide anauxiliary brake for cars, quickly applied and positive in its action,whereby, in the event of danger, the train may be brought to astandstill, although in rapid motion, almost imme diately after theapplication of the brakes.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

teference is to be hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a partofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is aside elevation of a portion of a car having myimprovedbrake attached, and Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the device with the car-body removed.

In carrying out the object of the invention vertical metallic plates orhangers A are attached to the under or side surface of the longitudinalbeams a of the truck at the ends thereof, which hangers are adapted toproject downward about halfway to the track. The lower portion ofthehangers A are formed with a central recess, a, which produces endprojections, a In the end projections, if, of said hangers the ends ofcrank-shafts B are journaled, which shafts extend transversely the truckfrom one end hanger to the other, the erankarms b in said shafts beingformed near each end.

ShoesD areprovided more or less rectangular in shape, adapted to bepositioned opposite the outer peripheral surface of each wheel. Theinner edges, (1, of the shoes are inclined from the top downward, and atthe base an integral projection, d, is formed, having a concave outeredge, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In the upper side surface of each shoelongitudinal spaces and elongated slots d are produced, through whichslots the crank'arms b of the crank-shafts pass, as illustrated in Fig.2.

. Centrally the end hangers, A, a transverse shaft, E, is journaled overthe recess a in said hangers, and intervening but above the horizontalplane of the crank-shafts B. At each end of the shaft E, inside thebearings, a cam, E, is keyed, adapted to rest lightly upon the upperhorizontal edge of the shoe D when said shoes are in their normalposition, raised from the track, the object of the said earns being toforce the shoes downward in close contact with the track, as shown inFig. 1, when occasion requires, in manner hereinafter set forth. Theshoes D are pivotally connected at their inner ends by a horizontalconnecting-bar, D, and the cam shafts E are also connected by a hori'zontal bar, 0, pivotally attached to vertical arms 6', integral with andextending from the upper side of said shaft. The outer end of the bar 0is in turn connected with and operated by a brakerod, F, or the said rodmay be operated by compressed air, or by any suitable and approvedmeans. I therefore do not limit myself to the means shown.

The crank-shafts B are connected with each other by a rod, II, which rodis pivotally connected to said shafts by means of vertical arms 71.,made integral with the upper portion of said shafts B in similar mannerto the connections of rod- 0 with the shafts E, as shown in Fig. 3.

An elliptic spring, G, is held in horizontal suspension within asuitable frame, G, attached to the car-body centrally beneath the carbetween the trucks, the said spring being rigidly supported by verticalplates 9, held to slide within said frame at the ends thereof, as shownin Fig. 3. Between the opposing sections of the spring a cushion, K, isprovided, consisting of a1ternately-interposed thin plates of metal andsimilar strips of cork or other elastic substance. Horizontal bolts Mare passed longitudinally through the frame G, and also through themetallic end plates, 9, and the cushion K above and below the spring G,which bolts are provided with lock-nuts jamming against the slidingvertical plates 9. The ends of the horizontal bolts M outside each endof the frame are made to pass through and are secured to vertical blocksm, which blocks are provided with central integral ears, m, connectionbeing maintained between the blocks and shoes by connecting-bars N,pivotally secured at one end to said ears, and at the other end to theupper portion of the inner shoes, D, of each truck.

A spiral spring, N, is attached to the inner end of the rods H of eachtruck, and also to the blocks m about centrally their outer faces.

\Vhile but one truck is shown in the drawings, it will be readilyunderstood that shoes are provided both trucks of a car.

In operation, when it is desired to quickly stop a train, power isapplied to the bar 6, whereby the camshaft E is turned, and the camsbeing brought in contact with the upper edge of the shoes D force thesame down to a firm engagement with the track. Should the wheels rideupon the shoes they will strike the inner curved end surface of saidshoes, which will thereupon act as the ordinary brake. the car movesforward the shock is not upon the car-body, but upon the spring G andinterposed cushion, as the shoes are connected therewith by the bar N,and the forward motion of the car-body,carrying with it the frame G,causes the vertical plates 9 to contract the said spring, the cushionserving to ease the flex thereof. When the train has come to a stand andthe pressure removed from the cams, the spring by its expansionautomatically raises the shoes from the track, returning them to theirnormal position.

The connecting-bars N may be made in two lengths united by aswivel-joint, if found desirable in practice, and more than twohorizontal bolts, M, be employcdforinstance, four may be used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is V 1. The combination, with the cartruck, ofbrake shoes adapted for engagement with the track, crankshafts B B,journaled upon said truck and supporting the brake-shoes, rods H andspring N, for operating said crank-shafts, and a cam-shaft, E, locatedbetween the said crank-shaft and operated indeo. The combination, with acar-truck and a series of crank-shafts, B, journaled in hangers Abeneath the truck, and transverse shafts E, carrying cams E, journaledin said hangers above the crank shafts, of brake shoes D, provided withlongitudinal slots (1, adapted to receive said crank-shafts, a spring,G, suspended beneath the car, and a connecting'bar, N, uniting saidspring and shoes, substantially'as shown and described, and for thepurpose herein set forth.

at. The combination, with a car-truck and crankshafts B, journaled inhangers A beneath the truck, a transverse shaft, E, carrying cams E,journaled in said hangers out of the plane of the crankshafts, ofbrake-shoes D, outside the wheels and in plane therewith, provided withlongitudinal slots (1, adapted to receive the crankshafts, a pivotalbar, D, connecting the shoes, a cushioned spring, G, suspended beneaththe car, a conneetingbar, N, imiting said spring and shoes, and connections between said cushioned spring and the crankshafts, substantiallyas shown and described, whereby the shoes are automatically returned totheir normal position, as set forth.

LAWRENCE J. ZIMMERMANN. \Vitnesses:

N IEL O. Firen,

\VALTER Fnnnnrenson.

